Startup nonprofit to provide music education in East Austin

The Hispanic Alliance for the Performing Arts, a startup nonprofit launched by Austin philanthropist Teresa Lozana Long, aims to provide music education to school-age children in East Austin.

“Research shows the exposure to music and the performing arts at a young age enables greater cognitive ability, increased global perspective, higher academic achievement and ultimately lowers dropout rates in high school,” said Teresa Lozano Long, president of the Hispanic Alliance for the Performing Arts.

The alliance plans to form a youth orchestra modeled after El Sistema, a program that has helped more than 400,000 underprivileged children in more than 25 countries.

In collaboration with the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, the alliance is offering free music lessons to middle school children at East Austin College Prep.

The alliance is also kicking off a fundraising campaign today, with the goal of raising $250,000 by early 2012.